Apparatus for vending merchandise



- Jan. 1, 1929. -Re. 17,178

E. W. TRAPP APPARATUS ron vaunme xnacummsa Original Filed July 23. 1 21 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '7 .k ll ,2 4 12): i/ I? I2 INVENTOR. 5 M 71 4;;

Re. 17,178 E. w. TRAPP APPARATUS FOR VENDING MERCHANDISE Jan. 1, 1929.

Original iiled July 23. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1.. 14/ 724? By 5W A TTORNEY Reissued Jan. 1,1929. i

STATES PATENT OFF'IFGE.

IENTS, TOMUTUAL STORES, INC.,

Al conPoBA'rmN-for CALIFORNIA;

arranarus roavnnmne nnacnnnmsfi Original No; 1,510,435, dated September 30,.1924,.Seria1 No. 487,157, filed July 23,1921. Applicattql tor reissue filed September 27, 1926. Serial 110. 138,091.

My invention relates to an improved apparatusand arrangement for displayingmer chandise contained in fixtures which permit seliserving, o

6 An object of the invention is to providean a I aratus of the character described in which t e fixtures containingvthe' merchandise are so arranged that as the customer proceeds along the aisle in front. of the fixtures, a

maximum amount of the diflerent merohanfeatures of'advantage, some of which, with the-foregoing, will be set forthin the following description of the preferred form ofiny invention which is illustratedyin the draw- 'ings accompanying and forming, part of the s ecification. It is tobe understood that I o'not limit myself to the showing made by the'said drawings anddescription, as I may adopt variations olithenpreferred form withinth'e'scope oi my invention as set forth in the "claims,

Referringto said drawin s:

store equipped with the apparatus of my in vention.

I Figure 2-is a sideelevation of some ofthe fixtures or merchandise holders which are arranged to belooated onthe opposite sides of the centrally located fixtures;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of fixtures. I p

Thea paratus of my invention is particularly a apted for use. in connection with stores of the self-serving type, that is, where 4 the customer is given access tothe merchandise in the store and is permitted toserVe himself. As here illustrated the store is provided with a sales department or section' i and suitable private storing sections andjpasi i sagesfiand 7 respectively,

. T 9 es department 4 is preferably proa vided at its front end with an entrance 5' and exits 8and 9'; all of which are provided with turning stiles 12 which revolve in one direcentire mere the; central tion only. Preferably positioned atithe op poslto sides of the department 4 arefixtures 13 and 14comprisingas here shown a plurality ofcabinets 16 which contain themerchan dise offeredfor sale, each cabinet being open at the front and provided with, suitable shelving 17 for the support and display Ofll merchandise. The cabinets arev preferably arranged edge to edge and in angular relation so that a series of alcoves 18, are formed thereby, the cabinets in each alcoveheing disposed in planes perpendicular toliiiesenianatingwfrom a common,point, ,Inthis manher as the customer proceeds along the aisle 19 or 20 in frontof the fixtures andenters the area adjfiicent an aloovmsubstantially the ,and-ise displayedin the cabinets in said alcove will be exp osedi to him ate single glance, therebynot only enablingjh customer to do his buying expeditiously, but to bring to his attention articles Wl1 l.Ch,.,he

was in need of but otherwise would u have overlooked. It will furtherbe noted that the foregoing arrangement ofcabinets permits of the display ofamazzimum amount of merchandise as well as maximum aisle room on a given area of'fioor space. It will be likewise noted that, as here shown, the merchandisc presenting structure defining each alcove is formed with a air of sideportions coterminous with aback portion at op osite I I ends thereof andforming with saidbac I por- Figure l'is a plan view 0 the interior of a tion angles in excessofninety de ees.- In this manner, sharp corners are avoi alcoves so that 'theigoods at the junctures of the portions or. cabinets areas accessible, as those at the otherparts of the portions "and noneof the portions are presentedwith'undue obliquity ,to the line of vision of-a customer as ordinarily: pos tioned to view the gpods in an alcove.

Betweenthe aisles li)and 20 is a central fixture 22 whose-rear end 23- is spaced from the cabinets 24 at the correspondingend 25 of the salesroom so that a continuous passage is had between the entrance 5 to the exits 8 and 9. The fixture 22is formed ofa plurality of cabinets 275 and 28*whieh face the aisles 19 and 20 res jctively, and are arranged similar tothe ca inets'lfi so as .toform alcoves" 29'a-nd 30. By referringtolli re 1 ofthe drawings it; will be seen'that t v ealcoyes of the center fixture are disposed in staggered relation with respectxto the alcovesof the aded in. the

jacent side fixtures thus providing a uniform width of aisle or passage between the opposing fixtures; furthermore the edges 31 of the alcoves of the center fixture and the edges 32 of the side fixtures are spaced transversely across the aisle a distance sufficient to allow the customer to pass through the aisles in a straight line if he desires.

The cabinets comprising the side fixtures 13 and 14 are made as high as practical, whereas the cabinets of the center fixture are preferably of a height not exceeding the horizontal line of vision of the average customer. In this manner the operator at the cashiers station 33, as well as the customers in the store, will have a more or less full view of the entire sales department.

For the convenience of thepatrons the top of each cabinet is preferably provided with a sign 34 which indicates the general nature of the merchandise contained on the shelves of the cabinet.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for vending merchandise, comprising a plurality of merchandise display cabinets adapted for self-serving and arranged onopposite sides of an aisle, the cabinets on one side of the aisle being arranged to face the cabinets on the other side, and adjacent cabinets on each, side of the aisle being obliquely related and disposed todefine al- .cove spaces, the alcoves on one side of the aisle bein removed from and arranged in staggere relation to the alcove spaces on the other side.

2. An apparatus for vending merchandise, comprising a plurality of merchandise display cabinets adapted for self-servingand arranged on opposite sides of an aisle, the cabinets on each side of the aisle being arranged to form a series of alcoves, the alcove spaces of one series being entirely Without and ar-, ranged in staggered relation to the alcove spacesof the other.

3. An apparatus for vending merchandise, comprising a pluralit of merchandise display cabinets adapte for self-serving and arranged to define a series of alcoves on opposite sides of an aisle in staggered relation,

the cabinets defining each alcove beingpositioned to lie in planes substantially perpendicular to lines emanating from a common point lying without the alcove and in front of the cabinets.

4. In a self-serving store having a shopping area, merchandise vending apparatus comprising merchandise display sections defining in plan a series of polygonal alcoves opemn into said area, each alcove being form by at least three of said sections disposed in contiguous and end-to-end relation, and lying in planes perpendicular to lines emanating from a common oint without the alcove and making only 0 tuse angles with other.

each

5. In a self-serving store having a shopping area, merchandise vending apparatus comprising sets of merchandise display sect-ions arranged on opposite sides of an aisle and each defining a series of polygonal alcoves opening into said aisle, each alcove being formed by at least three of said sections with each of the sections of an alcove defining an obtuse angle with the adjacent sections of such alcove and lying in planes perpendicular to lines emanating from a common point without the alcove, the alcoves'of one series being arranged in staggered relation to the alcoves of the other, said sets of sections being so spaced as to permit a straight passage for a person therebetween.

6. An apparatus for vending merchandise comprising a plurality of merchandise display cabinets adapted for self-serving and arranged on opposite sides of a common aisle, the cabinets on each side of the aisle being arranged to form a series of alcoves with the areas embraced by the alcoves of one series spaced from those of the other series whereby a strai ht passage may be defined between opposed a coves.

7 In a self-serving store, a sales area, a checkers stand adjacent the front thereof shelving positioned mediately of the sides of said sa es area and extendin rearwardly from adjacent said stand, said s elving being arranged to divide said sales area into sales aisles and defining alcoves on opposite sides thereof facing said aisles.

8. In a self-serving store, a sales area, merchandise display cabinets extending along the sides of said area from the front to the rear thereof and. defining in plan a plurality of three sided alcoves opening into said area, the sides of said alcoves being perpendicular to lines emanating from acommon point without the alcove and lying in front of all the alcove sides, merchandise display cabinets interposed between said first cabinets and dividing said area into shopping aisles, said latter cabinets havin alcoves similar to and facing those of the n rst mentioned cabinets, the alcoves of the cabinets on one side of the sales area being aligned and opposed to the alcoves of the cabinets on the other side thereof but in staggered and opposed relation to the alcoves of said intermediate cabinets, and each of the alcoves being without the area of each and all of the other alcoves.

9. In a self serving store the combination with a lobby provided with entrance'and exit gates and checkers stands, of shelves on o posite sides of the store in rear of the chec ers stands and arranged in zigzag fashion to define sets of alcoves extending from front to rear of the store along the opposite sides voided, and shelving positioned mediately of the said sides of the store and defining a series of alcoves lying in opposed and staggered relation to the alcovesof said sets. i

10. A self-serving store having an entrance lobby controlled by gates and an exit passage, a checker s stand in the front part of the store, shelves arranged along the side walls of the store in zigzag fashion to define alcoves and having all portions thereof in full view of the checkers stand, and shelves interposed between said first shelves and running in zigzagfashionfrom adjacent said checkers stan to the reariportion of the store to define alcoves facing said first alcoves, the top of said last shelving being lower than the top of said first shelvlng.

11. An apparatus for vending merchandise comprising opposed rows of merchandise display cabinets placed in contiguous end-to-end relation in their rows, the rows of cabinets cooperating to define between them a continuously progressing zigzag aisle extending longitudinally of the rows.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set hand at akland, Calif, this 22nd day i" 0 September, 1926.

EDWIN W. TRAPP. 

